


press me to your heart

by sunnydaylife



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Cat/Human Hybrids, M/M, Mark Lee (NCT) is Whipped, Shapeshifting, kitten!donghyuck, markhyuck, soft, various other nct members
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-09
Updated: 2019-03-30
Packaged: 2019-11-13 19:53:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18037835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunnydaylife/pseuds/sunnydaylife
Summary: donghyuck turns into a kitten when he's scared





	1. Chapter 1

mark knew lee donghyuck as the pretty boy that was best friends with huang renjun, who always seemed to stick to his side in the way best friends like them usually did. though he had a crush on the younger boy, donghyuck seemed to slip past him. one way or another, he always two steps ahead of him in some ways and catching up behind him in others. they didn't talk, not significantly, as they were in different grades and different friend groups. still, he was pretty, and he stayed by renjun through mark's life as a child. 

thankfully, mark did see donghyuck throughout his high school days. their lockers were fairly close to each other, they had some friends of friends that got along, and they followed each other on some social media platforms. he got to see donghyuck passing him in the halls, cheering on the basketball team during his games, and occasionally at lunch between the rest of the students. 

it was going to change at some point.

the halls of the high school were quiet, dull and dry compared to the pouring rain mark could see out the windows. though his mood was pretty high after the excitement of being with his friends, the rain seemed to bring him down a little. the squeaking of his shoes against the ground was the only sound he could hear over the downpour and silence of the building, his mind crowded with thoughts of getting home after the tiring basketball practice he had attended. it felt a bit lonely, mark wanted to leave as fast as possible, the emptiness of the building tugging at his mind. 

except he wasn't alone. along his path, donghyuck ran to his locker, his worried gaze and disheveled state mirroring his state of panic. mark, glad to find someone else was wandering the halls of the school, stood a little stunned at the chaotic behaviour of the boy. donghyuck's hands, which mark found extremely pretty from where he was standing, fumbled with the combination, swinging the door open when it finally clicked. the loud sounds donghyuck made hung in the air, ominous against the quiet of the school yet still nothing compared to the ruckus the rain made against the ground outside. mark watched in shock, unsure if he should ask the boy what was wrong, or if he wanted some help. 

just as donghyuck had shoved the last of his books in the locker, he only stopped to ruffle his own hair a bit, attempting to calm himself down. mark had seen him do it before tests and on days he looked minutes from breaking down, thoughts of him touching the younger boy's hair passing through his head. donghyuck knocked mark out of his thoughts when he slammed his locker shut, zipped his bag closed, and attempted to pick it up.

a loud clap of thunder was heard. donghyuck whimpered softly, stumbling backwards into the lockers and dropping his bag, bottom lip quivering. mark rushed forward at the sound of the boy crashing into the wall. 

"are you alright?" the tone of his voice was soft and worried as the younger boy looked up at him with wide eyes.

he looked like he was about to reply, but the storm roared again and he started shrinking, quite literally. mark gasped, unsure of what to do as the boy disappeared behind his bag.

"hello?" he stepped towards where donghyuck had gone missing, a flash of lightning striking through the hallway that suddenly seemed to be darker than it was before. 

he heard what seemed to be a pitiful whimper coming from behind donghyuck's bag. mark was a bit scared, unsure of what could be capable of making a sound like that in the empty school donghyuck had just disappeared in. calming himself down with a deep breathe, mark peeked over the bag, unsure of what to expect. 

he blinked. there, cowering in fear, was the cutest little kitten mark had ever seen in his entire life. he stared in confusion and adoration, because no matter how much it confused him it was so _cute_ and there was nothing mark wanted to do more than pick it up and snuggle it. its fur looked so soft and its eyes were so big, terrified as it buried its head in its paws, not looking at mark. his mind clouded over with confusion once again, thinking about the way his crush had disappeared earlier.

"donghyuck, is that you?" the kitten looked up, nodding with tear filled eyes.

no matter how strange it was, mark decided to remain calm. this wasn't that bad, donghyuck wasn't a monster or a troll, he was a kitten. mark couldn't just leave the younger boy there, especially not when it looked that scared and lost. just as mark reached out to donghyuck, lightning struck again, causing the kitten to jump back and start shaking, curling up in fear. mark's heart ached at the sight. he remembered the younger's panic to get home earlier, and realized this must have been the reason.

donghyuck was always confident, unafraid and sure of himself. maybe it was the way he stayed by his best friends and the people he liked that made him happy, or maybe it was a bit of an act mark hadn't seen through before. 

mark scooped donghyuck up, pity building at the mewl he let out. donghyuck didn't protest to being lifted, only letting himself be cradled to mark's chest. 

"donghyuck, is it okay if i help you out?" mark asked, holding the kitten tighter when it nodded again. 

picking up both of their bags, mark sighed in content and slight confusion. he had always wanted a cat since he was little, and now that he had moved in with his brother taeyong, who was always on business trips, he didn't have time for one. though it wasn't his cat and it was a boy from his school, even holding the creature made him feel a little more full, and flooded his heart with happiness he couldn't describe. the fluffiness against his fingertips felt so nice, even as he carried two heavy bags down the street to his brother's apartment. 

this was a boy in his school, his crush from afar, and mark couldn't help but feel bad for his situation. sure, he was a super adorable kitten, but it seemed like an awful inconvenience. mark had never seen donghyuck as a kitten, he had never heard of anything much like this before, which meant it must have been a secret. the older boy decided to keep the secret to himself, imagining the boy in his arms being bullied for something he couldn't control was something mark didn't think he could stand. 

donghyuck had been quiet apart from the sounds of fear he would make from the storm, never struggling from the place he was pressed against mark's chest by the older boy's jacket. it was warm, and the sound of the older boy's heartbeat was a study distraction from the lightning from outside where he was zipped up. mark vaguely wondered why he was so cooperative, as it was against donghyuck's regular nature, but then settled on the fact that being a kitten wasn't his regular nature either. 

it was wet and cold, soaking the outside of mark’s waterproof jacket, but keeping the kitten safe inside. the sounds donghyuck made whenever lightning struck weren’t good for mark’s heart.

there was no one to worry about seeing donghyuck when mark unlocked the apartment door. it was a little difficult to take off his shoes while holding donghyuck, but he still managed. he walked straight to his room, dropping both bags on the floor by the door. carefully, mark unzipped his jacket, hanging the wet piece of clothing neatly on a hook, picking donghyuck up from the place on his chest and putting him down gently on the bed.

the rain was still pouring down but the silence still ate at mark. for a moment, the two sat across from each other, mark not knowing what to say at the kitten blinking up at him. mark thought he looked a little afraid, but he blamed it on the storm that still carried on. 

another flash of lightning hit the room and suddenly donghyuck was shaking again. he tried to comfort himself, burrowing in one of the blankets beside him, attempting to block out the sounds from outside. it didn't work. the sound of the rain hammered against donghyuck's sensitive ears, torturing the kitten further. mark couldn't take the sight of the terrified, teary eyed kitten shivering in fear on his bed. the older boy didn't know if it was the right thing to do, but donghyuck didn't complain when he was once again squished against mark, strong arms holding him in place and petting him comfortingly. it was nice, donghyuck thought, to have mark's fingers through his fur. his hands were big enough to touch most of his body the younger's kitten form, enveloping donghyuck in a hold tight enough to protect him from the outside. donghyuck found himself asleep, breathing lightly against mark's heartbeat. 

donghyuck woke up at seven in the evening the same way he fell asleep. it was so warm and comforting, he felt like he was in a dream at first. then, he heard the boy above him breathe a little louder, pulling the kitten out of his trance. mark had fallen asleep too, cuddling donghyuck in a protective manner the younger boy was thankful for. 

the lightning and rain had stopped, and even though donghyuck could have changed back, he figured he could avoid mark's questions for a little longer. the kitten struggled out of mark's arms, hopping onto the bed in success. mark's face was peaceful, a smile ghosting on his lips as he slept. donghyuck could see his handsome features better as a kitten, and decided that mark was definitely a cute one. 

after studying mark's face, donghyuck looked around curiously, studying the white walls and furniture, the figurines on mark's desk, and the organized state of the area. he remembered the way mark always carried his books around, always the right one for the right class, with a full pencil case, while the younger only carried around a spare pencil he may have found on the ground like the rest of the kids his age. it was cute, the way mark was organized, the way he hung all his basketball awards on his wall. 

carrying on, he padded through the door mark had, thankfully, left open. it was a small enough apartment to not have any long hallways, so he ended up in the kitchen that became a dining room a few human steps later and a living room a few human steps further than that. there was only a small, four person dining table with three chairs and two couches in the living room. 

donghyuck attempted to jump onto the stool in the kitchen, failing a few times with a whine. on the fifth try, he finally made it, taking in the view of the kitchen and living room. it was small, clean, and mostly white, just like mark's room. donghyuck jumped onto the countertop, the leap easier than it had been for the stool. there was a small picture frame at the end of the surface which peaked the kitten's curiosity. 

mark was standing beside a very handsome man, both in casual clothing. it was taken in some kind of field, donghyuck guessed, smiling at the warmth the photo held. mark had a nice smile, donghyuck noticed, looking at the way his eyes seemed to light up in the picture. 

"donghyuck?" a panicked mark, who had just woken up, stumbled into the room.

the worry melted off his face at the sight of the kitten staring at the photograph with such innocence and curiosity. he lifted his paw, pointing to the man mark was beside.

"that's my older brother, taeyong." mark explained. "he's on a business trip right now, but he's the one i live with. our parents are in canada, but they wanted me to stay here with taeyong."

mark let donghyuck continued exploring while the older boy ordered food in, avoiding the experience of taking a cat to a restaurant. the apartment was all very neat and modern, and donghyuck liked it very much, but above all he thought it was very mark. 

over the years, he tried not to pay attention to the way his heart fluttered when mark stared at him, unless he was at a basketball game and allowed himself to watch mark all he wanted. being with mark, even as a kitten, made him very happy. though he wasn't sure if it was a crush yet, donghyuck knew that he would probably would like to be around mark more.

the first time he had noticed mark was when he was nervous for an important science test. donghyuck had been leaning on the wall outside the classroom, reviewing a few notes last minute while playing with a few strands of his own hair. mark came up to him with a grin, telling him a much needed "good luck" and walking away with his friend wong yukhei. it had made donghyuck smile. 

"can you change back yet?" donghyuck hadn't noticed mark was back, but his voice snapped the younger boy out of his thoughts. "it's okay if you can't, but i was just thinking if you weren't scared anymore."

donghyuck shook his head, hiding himself a little in embarrassment. 

"you're still scared?" mark asked, surprised when donghyuck nodded. "of what?"

more than anything, mark scared him. he was strong, and taller than him, and now the older boy knew his secret. maybe donghyuck was a bit fragile, but he was so terrified of someone like mark hurting him.

that's why when the kitten nudged mark with its paw, it was shaking again, and strangely hesitant. "me?"

donghyuck nodded, the shame rising to his face, though not visible to mark.

"do you think i'm going to hurt you?" mark's heart sank when the kitten nodded again, hiding again in its paws. 

of course he was scared, he was exposing himself to someone he barely knew. mark finally noticed how tiny donghyuck really was in their situation, how vulnerable and small he was under mark's gaze. 

mark picked donghyuck up, cradling the kitten against his chest once again. "you're right, look at how small you are."

"if anyone at school saw you like this they would never think of you the same way." the kitten shrank under mark's teasing gaze, "but i won't let them. you're my adorable kitty, i won't let you down."

donghyuck didn't know how to react to that, but he found it comforting anyways. he took it as a promise, the fear melting from him as he decided to give mark a chance. purring softly, he leaned into mark's touch, relaxing into the older boy's chest. mark smiled at the kitten, finally having donghyuck where he wanted him.

when mark awoke to the sound of the delivery person ringing the doorbell, he was cuddling a full grown boy instead of a kitten, but mark thought he was just as adorable, if not more. mark groaned, pushing himself off the couch to pay the delivery person while donghyuck slowly adjusted to his surroundings. 

setting the food on the table, mark offered donghyuck a chair. "you should eat."

his gaze fixed on the floor, donghyuck took a seat across from mark and obediently took the food he was given. 

"don't be embarrassed," mark insisted, still a little awkward as he remembered all the things he said before they had fallen asleep. "i know it must be hard, i can't even imagine how hard it must be, but i don't care how weird it is."

"i'm really sorry you had to take care of me," donghyuck mumbled, not seeing mark frown at his words, still looking at the floor. "it won't happen again, you can pretend this all never happened."

"i don't mind at all, it's my responsibility after all." donghyuck's face flooded with pink.

mark smirked, realizing that donghyuck still acted very cat like, at least in front of him. he would be hiding away in embarrassment if he were still a kitten, yet still avoided the older boy's stare. 

 

the next few days went without any thunder or lightning, though heavens were still gloomy and the skies cried regularly. donghyuck seemed to avoid mark, though it wasn't hard, as they barely saw each other anyway. this left mark feeling slightly frustrated and disappointed, an aching longing building up in his heart. 

it had been a week since the incident and mark was sitting in his last class, trying to focus on his math, when the rain started pouring faster and harder. 

"looks like another thunder storm," yukhei, his teammate and classmate, pointed out from beside mark.

suddenly math equations weren't as easy to focus on as his worry for donghyuck. his eyes were on the clock, pencil tapping against his desk while his heart ached whenever the rain started pouring harder. 

as soon as class ended, mark rushed out of the classroom as quickly as he could, avoiding yukhei's calls to wait up and heading straight to where donghyuck's classroom would be. d

"donghyuck." the voice mark used from the doorway of the younger boy's classroom sounded more like a command than anything.

he gulped, still obeying mark and walking over to where he was standing, classmates watching in confusion. people like mark, who was on the basketball team in an older grade, never visited younger classrooms, especially not an irrelevant kid like donghyuck. 

grabbing the younger boy's hand, mark didn't waste time. he let donghyuck scramble to his locker and shove his books in before sprinting to the exit of the school and towards his apartment. 

"why are we rushing so much?" donghyuck stuttered out, the rain soaking through his hoodie, hand still gripped tight by mark's.

"i don't want you to turn at school or in public, it would be a lot more work and embarrassment for both of us." mark replied simply, arriving at the apartment door with heavy breaths. 

mark scrambled to get the key from his pocket, struggling again to get it into the key hole. when he turned around, ready to let donghyuck into the apartment, he was met with the sight of a tiny kitten instead of the boy he had been holding moments ago. this time, however, donghyuck's fur was soaked with rain, and the lightning accompanied the sight of him whimpering and shaking. the image struck mark's heart with pain, the want to protect the creature in front of him was overwhelming.

as quickly as he could, mark gently brought donghyuck inside. he didn't bother to sort his shoes out, only kicking them off and rushing into the living room. mark placed donghyuck on a fluffy blanket next to the fire and stumbled to grab a small towel to dry the younger boy off. though the skies still roared on, mark tried his hardest to stop the shaking with soft music and lots of blanket layers. 

the towel mark used was rough against donghyuck's skin, but did the job of drying him off. his fur was soft again, and he would momentarily stop shaking until another clap of thunder sounded against the comforting scene. 

"do you need anything else?" mark asked, just as he had wrapped donghyuck in another blanket. 

instead of shaking his little head like mark expected, donghyuck scurried into the older boy's lap. mark smiled, stroking the boy gently, and letting himself bathe in the feeling. if he minded being awoken to the feeling of a boy sprawled over his lap, he didn't say anything.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> mark thought donghyuck was beginning to be okay. it was spring, the thunder and lightning had washed away, and mark thought he wouldn't see his kitten for a while, but he was wrong.

"bro, you sure they don't need help?" yukhei looked worriedly at mark, and then back at the scene in front of them.

"they're fine, trust me," mark shrugged back, eyes gleaming with something like pride.

a couple of tall, lanky boys from school tried to touch huang renjun in a manner he didn't like, the very same huang renjun donghyuck was best friends with. yukhei and mark watched from a bit of a distance while the two short best friends were cornered by the disgusting people in front of them, but donghyuck was stronger than to let them harass his best friend. 

donghyuck smirked a bit, knowing his innocent façade had worked against the boys in front of him. "you think this makes you cool, huh?"

"you think you can touch him and get away with it?" the glares donghyuck sent them along with his icy tone sent the taller boys who had touched renjun staggering backwards, regret showing in their expressions. "i recommend you leave before i break your necks, got it?"

even though donghyuck was small and adorable, mark would know from all the time he's spent with the younger boy curled up in his arms, he had the power of having a dangerous presence that scared away all the bullies when needed. before, mark was always worried about someone hurting donghyuck, until he realized how much of a force donghyuck really was, which is what made mark love him even more. as much as mark loved seeing donghyuck being soft and shy, all he really wanted was for donghyuck to smile, and the way he and renjun hugged each other in victory made fireworks erupt in mark. 

"damn," yukhei chuckled. "that shortie's got some spirit."

"morning duckie," mark greeted the boy sitting on the stool in his apartment. 

"good morning mark," donghyuck was shyer than usual, and something about that made mark confused.

it had been a normal spring day, but mark had found donghyuck scratching and mewling on his apartment door until he let the kitten in. he had then snuggled the younger boy until he had fallen asleep to the sound of mark's heartbeat. it had scared mark a lot, knowing that donghyuck was fearing something enough for him to not be able to make it to mark's care in time.

"wanna tell me what last night was about?" he didn't push it, not when his duckie already looked so afraid. "you don't have to if you're not ready."

"it's really hard to say," the younger boy muttered, handing mark the coffee he had made earlier. "i don't want you to hate me."

"i don't think it's possible for me to hate you." mark pointed out, thanking donghyuck for the coffee briefly.

donghyuck took a shaky, deep breathe in, seemingly trying to extend that moment as long as he could, where mark still looked at him adoringly, looking like he might shift forms out of fear any second. he brought his fingers to his hair, playing with the strands, his nervous habit. mark reached over, hitting away donghyuck's hands and touching the soft mop of brown hair instead. mark's fingers seemed to calm donghyuck down a little, giving him some much needed confidence "i like you. not just in the way where i'm your friend and i and to stay that way, but in the way that you're my crush and i want to date you."

"cute," mark breathed out, setting down his coffee to grab donghyuck's chin instead, tilting his face up to connect their lips. 

it was worth it, hearing the sweet sounds coming from donghyuck's throat, pushing his tongue deeper into the heat of the boy's mouth. eyes still closed, mark pulled away, leaving the boy's shaking figure and red face. when he opened his eyes, he was met with a tiny kitten instead.

"aw," mark cooed, scooping donghyuck up to be cradled against his chest. "little duckie can't handle a kiss."

donghyuck whimpered, his mewl dripping with embarrassment as he attempted to bury his face in the fabric of mark's shirt, only to be teased further. "does duckie think he can handle being my boyfriend?"

even though mark's boyfriend was a little strange, he made sure to take advantage of every bit of it, always keeping his little kitten in his arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> that's all i have,, but if anyone has suggestions id be happy to write more uwu ♡


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> mark meets donghyuck's family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> some random scenes

anxiously, mark knocked on the unfamiliar apartment door, checking the number on the text on his phone once again. he hadn’t gotten a response from donghyuck since he left his own apartment, and no one seemed to be coming to greet him. sighing, mark decided that donghyuck must have already shifted, and wouldn’t have been able to open the door anyway.

twisting open the handle and pushing with caution, mark peeked inside, doubting his own plan loudly in his head. 

“donghyuck?” mark called out, not loud, but his voice still echoed around the small apartment. 

a smile grew on mark’s face at the sight of the familiar kitten running up to him. he knelt down on instinct, his knees hitting carpeted floor, arms outstretched for the kitten to jump into. in seconds donghyuck was being lifted in mark’s arms, the excitement easily noticeable on his features, even more so as a kitten.

mark grinned, cradling the small kitten to his chest, almost on reflex. donghyuck purred gently at the feeling of mark gently petting him. nuzzling into his touch, donghyuck relaxed in mark’s hold while the older boy cooed at how adorable he was.

all of the sudden, mark heard a hiss across the room. he snapped his head up, away from the kitten in his arms, only to find an adorable, black kitten looking angrily at him. 

frozen, mark was unsure of what to do. he contemplated trying to say something, but the black kitten’s expression seemed to turn into one of shock when its eyes dropped to donghyuck, relaxed in mark’s arms. mark was even more confused when it walked over to him, sniffing him lightly, almost cautiously, before settling down in mark’s lap.

confused and a little uncomfortable, mark decided that the floor wasn’t the best place to be with two kittens. he slowly scooped them both up, holding one with each arm, and walked in the direction both kittens had come from.

thankfully it leaded to the living room, complete with a few soft couches a small table. mark silently complimented donghyuck’s taste in furniture as he sat down on one of the couches, placing the kittens down with him. the black kitten yawned, stretching itself out on mark’s lap, unbothered by the trip from the hallway.

donghyuck, on the other hand, jumped onto the top of the couch, right beside mark’s head. it took quite a lot of trouble, thanks to his small size, but he managed to make it with the help of a worried mark and his perseverance. from there, he climbed down onto mark’s shoulder. still a bit confused, mark lifted his arm to stroke the kitten on his shoulder gently, melting a bit at the way donghyuck sunk down to sleep at his touch. with his other hand, he pet the black kitten in his lap, who didn’t seem to bother much with anything but sleep. 

mark didn’t notice himself closing his eyes or dozing off, only the feeling of his heart feeling airy and light.

“i’m home,” a voice sounded from the direction of the door, causing mark to groggily open his eyes and turn towards the origin of the sound.

mark assumed the person was donghyuck’s brother after hearing them taking off their shoes and taking steps toward the living room as if it were a routine, though it probably was one. when he finally came into mark’s vision, he met his gaze, his expression first turning into confusion before recognition flooded onto his face.

“oh, hi mark.” the man greeted, not looking too bothered as he placed his grocery bags on the counter and stepped towards the couch. “i’m assuming you’re mark by the way donghyuck isn’t hissing at you.”

shaking his hand, mark nodded dumbly. “yes i am, and you’re johnny?”

“yep.” johnny leaned over the couch to pick up the black kitten, who was still asleep on mark’s lap. “looks like you got ten to like you too.”

“ten?” mark stared in confusion, not fully awake.

“my boyfriend,” johnny laughed. “we tried to find someone who could help donghyuck through his condition. that’s when we met ten. he was really good for donghyuck, so we both ended up liking him, and now he’s part of the family.”

“i’m glad you found someone to make donghyuck more comfortable,” mark smiled with gratitude.

“i’m glad he found you,” johnny replied, looking more focused on the kitten in his arms than on mark. “you make him happy, that’s all i really want. 

 

 

mark took the boy into his arms, holding his waist firmly, but not enough to crush the butterflies in donghyuck’s stomach. his breath was heavy against the younger boy’s neck. mark inhaled the scent of honey, strawberries, and cream, filling all of his senses full of donghyuck. 

“mark, what-” donghyuck stammered out, confusion building in his eyes.

but mark ignored him, grinning at the way the boy was trembling under his fingertips. donghyuck didn’t resist, he never did, but he attempted to look at mark’s face for some kind of answer. instead of meeting his gaze, mark dipped his head down into the base of the boy’s neck, pressing his lips to the spot. donghyuck whimpered, not finding himself strong enough to keep his head up, and instead hiding away from anything that wasn’t the floor. 

the older boy continued to trail kisses up donghyuck’s neck, slowly, with pressure light as if his skin was glass. mark tightened his grip on his boy’s waist while donghyuck found his hands on the his boyfriend’s shirt. mark found donghyuck’s silence quite odd after a while of holding him close, the younger boy trembling against him with his head now pressed to mark’s chest. 

“duckie?” mark lifted his head from donghyuck’s neck.

“mark,” donghyuck’s voice was muffled from where it was hidden in the older’s chest.

the sight of donghyuck so vulnerable, squished against him, and sweet in his grip etched into mark’s mind. the moment reminded him of how untouchable the boy had seemed only months before and how much mark wanted to continue to hold him. 

donghyuck was nervous often. mark knew, he saw it in the way the younger boy would flush at his touch, no matter how small, and would tremble when teased. donghyuck had assured him it wasn’t his fault, that it would be alright, and that he was just sensitive. 

still, donghyuck wasn’t weak, and mark was reminded of it commonly. he saw it when anyone tried to hurt renjun, but would be intercepted by his best friend’s glares, or when he would stand his ground in front of anyone, even if they were way taller than him. although sometimes mark would be concerned by donghyuck’s stubbornness, he was always so proud.

when mark asked donghyuck’s family about it, they only laughed. 

“it’s part of him being a kitty. he’s a bit sensitive, but touching him won’t hurt him, it just makes everything more fun for you.” johnny reassured. 

mark nodded, taking a sip of the tea ten had given him when he entered the apartment, unable to refuse. he tried not to look too confused, though the words coming out of their mouths didn’t make as much sense to him as it did to them.

“if you push him too far he may shift,” ten added. “but that’s not too bad so don’t worry about it.”

“just be sure you don’t hurt him, that’s the last thing he needs.” johnny concluded, giving mark a trusting look.

“what if i accidentally hurt him? how would i know?” mark asked, a little nervous at his own question.

ten just laughed, confusing mark even further. “it’s donghyuck, you’d know.”

mark didn’t quite understand, but he assumed that if there was an issue ten definitely would have said more. after all, this was donghyuck’s family, and they loved him as much as mark did.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> donghyuck can't maintain his human form and no one knows why & he finally tells his friends with mark's help

spring was well under way, and the heat had been welcomed by mark and donghyuck both. though there hadn’t been thunderstorms or rain in quite some time, the small drizzled and clouds blocking the sunny view had completely disappeared, leaving them in a warm and fresh feel, something mark had been waiting for.

as per usual, yukhei and mark strolled into school together. for as long as he could remember, mark had always met yukhei as soon as he reached the entrance, or waited for him by the doors. ever since he had a crush on donghyuck, mark would peak at where donghyuck would join jungwoo and renjun by their lockers. now, since mark and donghyuck had decided to keep their relationship a secret, he would sneak a few glances the same way he always did, this time maybe giving the younger a smile.

it always to put a smile on mark’s face seeing donghyuck’s face in the morning. of course, he treasured the texts he received when he awoke, complete with several heart emojis that made mark’s heart melt at how cute his boyfriend was. 

with the warm of the weather, donghyuck seemed to shine brighter. his skin glowed a little more, the tan more noticeable against the blue sky. maybe it was only mark, but he thought that donghyuck shimmered as if he was the sun itself, radiant and golden. of course, when mark tried to tell the younger about it, donghyuck shifted, running away and hiding under the bed. it took a good hour of mark coaxing him out and accidentally making him flush even deeper while doing so. 

the worry flooded in as mark passed by jungwoo and renjun, who were watching the entrance doors for who mark assumed would be donghyuck. usually donghyuck was early, greeting his other friends with hugs and cheek kisses, but the gloomy clouds that seemed to hang over jungwoo and renjun’s heads didn’t fit their usual morning routine. renjun glanced down at his phone every few seconds, giving jungwoo an anxious looks before shifting his eyes back to the screen. 

sighing, mark tried to shake it off, until he realised he never got a reply to his good morning text either. just when he was about to pull out his phone to text ten, realization arose in mark’s mind that he was probably just late. he tried to ignore the hesitation that bubbled in his chest as mark slipped his phone back into his pocket, tuning into what yukhei was saying to him and jeno, who mark didn’t even realise had appeared at yukhei’s other side.

at lunch, just when mark had accepted that donghyuck had most likely gotten to school by then, he received a text from ten. it was vague, only asking him to come to donghyuck’s apartment after school. 

“is something wrong, dude?” yukhei nudged mark’s side with his elbow, holding a burger in both his hands. 

the distress on mark’s face must have been more obvious than he thought. a smile spread over mark’s face, fake, though enough to mask the worry in front of yukhei.

“it’s nothing,” mark insisted, bringing his attention back to the sandwich in front of him.

suddenly, he didn’t feel hungry, and the thought of eating just brought his mood down even more. his friend group’s attention moved away from him as jaemin joined them, talking up a storm the second he sat down. mark sank into the background, watching renjun looking gloomy and jungwoo comfortingly rubbing his back. for a second, the expression in renjun’s eyes almost looked like guilt.

it took mark extra long to leave the school. he didn’t want to be late but yukhei and jaemin kept him back a little and he knew they would definitely be suspicious if he interrupted them to leave. he tried to make up for it by sprinting to donghyuck’s apartment as fast as he could, not bothering to knock when he arrived. 

“is he okay?” mark panted, out of breathe. 

ten stifled a laugh at mark’s disheveled state, his hair messy, face damp with sweat. his breath was heavy, and the backpack was sagging off his shoulders. 

“we don’t really know,” ten regained his composure, mark frowned at his words. “he doesn’t usually shift without fear, or shift for this long. there isn’t anything he’s afraid of, he doesn’t know either.”

“will he be okay? where is he?” mark questioned, fixing his hair, appearing calm on the outside while his voice and insides were drenched with worry. 

“he’ll probably be okay, this is probably just a phase or something. he’s in his room if you wanted to see him. i actually called you here to take him home with you.” ten explained, smirking lightly at the way mark’s face lit up with relief. “he’d be lonely here, with johnny and i being at work for so long, but if he’s with you he’ll be okay. you’ll take care of him, right?”

mark nodded vigorously. “of course i will.”

“then he’s all yours,” ten gestured towards donghyuck’s room.

when mark entered donghyuck’s room he was met with a surprisingly organized, tidy space. there were several pictures of donghyuck, renjun, and jungwoo playing soccer together on the wall, all three looking surprisingly cute in headbands. donghyuck’s desk was significantly messier than his own, but the scattered pages of homework and doodles of spaceships were somewhat endearing. 

finally, mark rested his eyes on the ball of fur sleeping on the bed. he looked so peaceful, buried in the blankets, cuddling with what looked like a bear stuffie. deciding not to wake him, mark scooped the kitten into his arms and headed out the door, mouthing a cheerful goodbye to ten.

walking to his apartment was a pleasant journey, mostly because of the warm air and the lack of rain. a few nice people cooed at the sleeping kitten in mark’s arms, telling him how cute he was. mark smiled each time and gave the kitten an adoring look, replying with a simple “i know.”

while walking through a park, a small child approached mark with a curious gaze, almost in awe.

“that’s the cutest kitten i’ve ever seen!” she exclaimed, causing mark to grin brightly. 

“he certainly is adorable,” the old lady, who mark assumed to be the child’s grandmother, commented. “what’s its name?”

“haechan,” mark answered, not giving much thought to it, since donghyuck was practically the most full sun he could ever imagine. 

“that’s a fitting name,” the grandmother smiled.

when donghyuck finally awoke, he was pleasantly surprised to find himself snuggled tightly to mark’s chest. he closed his eyes again, not really wanted to wake up, but decided against falling back asleep. instead, he pawed at mark’s face, meowing a bit to get his attention. 

mark’s face scrunched up, confused at first at why something weirdly soft was hitting his face. he tried swatting at the object, only to find one of donghyuck’s paws. smirking, he held it instead, pulling donghyuck back to his chest and turning over onto his side. donghyuck struggled playfully before giving up and letting mark pet him softly.

“hey donghyuck, do you feel safe enough to shift right now?” mark asked, yawning through the question.

mark felt donghyuck grow heavier in his arms, a feeling he had grown used to, as well as a muffled “yeah” into his chest. 

“but i feel really unstable, it’s like i could shift at any moment.” donghyuck added, his voice fragile as if almost tipping over and spilling out tears. 

continuing to comfortingly pet donghyuck, even in human form, mark inquired again. “do you feel safer in human form or kitten form?”

“i feel a lot calmer in kitten form. more vulnerable, of course, but as long as someone’s there to take care of me or i’m alone in a safe space it’s okay. as a human, i don’t need someone to take care of me, and i can handle situations i wouldn’t be able to handle as a kitten.” donghyuck answered, shaking a little bit in mark’s hold.

“duckie, you don’t sound very stable, you should shift back.” mark mumbled into the younger’s hair. “i’ll take care of you until you go back to normal.”

donghyuck nodded into his chest. it was a calm moment, donghyuck being soothed by mark’s touch, his thoughts full of the boy holding him. mark’s head was full of worry, but it was numbed by ten’s assurances that everything would be okay and the fact that the boy in his arms was still alive and breathing. even as donghyuck shifted, mark only held on tighter, promising himself he would help donghyuck be less scared in the future.

the following few days consisted of donghyuck and mark falling into a peaceful routine. mark did have school and would attend as donghyuck would watch tv, struggling profoundly with the remote, or sleep. when the older finally came home, donghyuck would leap up, finding his place in mark’s arms, pressed to his heart. or, on occasions he was feeling a bit more stable, donghyuck would shift into his human form and give mark a shy kiss on the cheek as a greeting, usually getting too intimidated by mark’s teasing and ending up shifting back each time. they would end the day by spending time together one way or another, sometimes by donghyuck falling asleep on mark’s desk as the older boy does homework, or watching tv together late into the night. 

at school, mark observed donghyuck’s friends getting more and more anxious, their faces falling more and more each morning when donghyuck never showed up at their usual spot. though mark wanted them to know their friend was okay, donghyuck didn’t want to go through the embarrassment of telling his friends about his unfortunate condition. 

“you’ll have to tell them eventually,” mark pointed out. “plus, it will make you less anxious.”

“it’s always made me feel so bad for keeping things from them,” donghyuck replied, his head still low, reaching out to grab mark’s hand. “maybe i will try.”

“i’ll help you,” mark grinned in support, taking donghyuck’s hand into his own and giving it a comforting squeeze. 

donghyuck looked surprised, freezing up before his expression softened, tears welling up in his droopy eyes. mark watched in shock, not really knowing how to stop him from crying, but deciding he must have been okay when he saw the radiant smile on his face. 

“thank you, mark.” donghyuck said, his voice wavering as he sniffled, the expression displaying gratitude. “thank you so much.”

mark grinned, admiring how happy the younger looked in the moment. he had already realised why simply because it was the same donghyuck he had known for the past months. donghyuck was always more than happy to give affection to others, he never let his fears get in the way of hugging his friends or giving them gifts in the form of nice actions and support. still, donghyuck found it hard to rely on someone and trust someone the way he trusted mark.

with anyone else, mark would have laughed it off and told them it was nothing because being there for donghyuck really didn’t take much effort for him. all he had to do was bring donghyuck’s friends with him after school and stay next to his boyfriend as he finally confronted them. but to donghyuck it wasn’t nothing, it was everything to him, and mark’s help meant so much more to him than just a few words and supporting him, it meant the world. mark couldn’t laugh off his world.

at first, mark broke donghyuck’s boundaries by a mile. it was hard, very hard, for donghyuck to accept that mark lee had been taking care of him, that there was another boy picking him up, holding him close, and protecting him. that made him more scared than anything. for a while, mark made him more scared than anything.

as much as donghyuck tried to avoid him after the first incident, mark was always on his mind. that’s why, when mark entered his classroom on that day, he didn’t argue with him. that day he was already shaking, so weak, worried and unshe had been contemplating trying to find mark anyway, but he knew to beg for his help would make him too embarrassed to even look the older boy in the eye.that's why he was so relieved when mark came looking for him, the frantic look in his eyes telling donghyuck he was worried to. mark worried too that was the moment donghyuck knew, mark really did care. if he didn’t care, he never would have come back, he would have humiliated donghyuck in front of everyone and left him to stay there, alone.

mark made him nervous, no doubt but he’d always make him nervous. the was that his heart shook when he was near, the way his life lit up when he was close, mark would always be that way to donghyuck. but mark thought it was okay. nervous donghyuck was okay, as long as in his heart he was safe and would always come home to mark, who would always keep his love safe. 

“always, duckie.” though donghyuck still worried about telling his friends, the reassurance of mark made everything seem okay. 

“can i show you guys something? it’s about donghyuck.”

mark had caught up to renjun and jungwoo after school, out of breath from running through the halls, dodging all the other students. they had been surprised, obviously, that mark lee wanted to bring them somewhere, but they agreed since it was related to their best friend who had been missing for a week.

“is he okay?” jungwoo asked frantically, trailing behind mark a little.

“you didn’t hurt him, right?” renjun glared at him, the intensity scaring mark a little.

“yes he’s okay, and no i didn’t hurt him.” mark sighed. “just keep following me and we’ll be there soon, you can find out for yourself.”

“this isn’t the way to donghyuck’s apartment.” renjun pointed out, a little suspicious when they took a turn into a nicer area of apartments. 

“that’s because we aren’t going to his apartment.” mark replied vaguely. “you’ll see soon.”

when the trio finally reached mark’s apartment, mark asked jungwoo and renjun to sit down on the couches while he would get donghyuck. of course, renjun protested and made a few comments on how mark was gonna kidnap them and that they were trapped, but jungwoo just silenced him by reassuring him mark was a nice person that was friends with yukhei, who was also nice. thankfully, jungwoo was extremely good at entertaining renjun by conversing about the decor. mark was careful opening the door to his bedroom, where donghyuck was, not knowing what exactly to expect.

“they’re here, aren’t they?” donghyuck stuttered out.

he was sitting in the corner of mark’s bed, the covers kicked away from him, warmth gone from the area. he was trembling the way he usually did when lightning struck, but the sky was clear that day. 

“duckie,” mark started, walking over to where the younger was sitting with a small smile on his face. “shift.”

he looked surprised, at least that’s the first thing mark could interpret from the jumble of protests he attempted to let out. 

“i told you to shift, didn’t i?” mark pet donghyuck’s hair, pride filling his chest as the younger let himself go. “good kitten.”

lifting donghyuck up, mark pressed a small kiss to his fur, smile widening against the soft surface.“i know what i’m doing, thank you for trusting me.”

letting out a soft whine, donghyuck complied, willingly letting mark carry him into the living room.

“you were gone for five minutes to get a fucking cat?” renjun scoffed, definitely annoyed at jungwoo talking about furniture for too long and tired of waiting.

“to be fair, that’s the cutest kitten i’ve ever seen.” jungwoo cooed, ignoring how pissed off renjun was. 

“that’s actually donghyuck.” mark started, aware of the fact that renjun didn’t believe him at all.

“yeah right,” renjun didn’t look amused at all. “you really think i’m going to trust your stupid bullshit?”

“renjun,” jungwoo called out his name softly. “it’s hard to believe for me too, but i’m sure mark has some kind of reasoning. he wouldn’t bring us here without an explanation, so please listen.”

renjun didn’t look very happy, but he settled down and gave mark a look. “go ahead.”

“he shifts when he’s scared. the doctors don’t know the cause, though there are others like him. he’s had it since birth, but it’s gotten much stronger as he’s grown. it’s the reason he quit soccer.” mark explained, trying to ignore renjun’s piercing glare. 

“so why the fuck do you know and we don’t?” renjun snapped, a little too loud for jungwoo, who suddenly looked a little uncomfortable. “if it’s true, how come we didn’t know?”

“he didn’t tell anyone, he didn’t even tell me. i found out by accident.” before anyone could argue, mark continued. “he wanted to tell you, he’s wanted to tell you for years, but he never found the right time. he’s scared, and he’s delicate, and he was afraid you would leave him.”

donghyuck kept himself buried in mark’s lap while everyone was silent, not wanting to be present in the painful situation. 

“hyuckie, can i hold you?” jungwoo sounded hesitant, but his face brightened with joy as the kitten padded across the room into his own lap. 

mark watched with a smile on his face as jungwoo pet him with care, giggling when donghyuck nuzzled him. “he’s the cutest kitten ever!”

renjun watched silently, not having said anything since mark gave his explanation. jungwoo noticed him staring and smiled, lifting the kitten into the other boy’s lap instead.

renjun, taken by surprise, didn’t know what to do. the kitten in his lap didn’t either, only looking straight up into his eyes. cautiously, renjun lifted donghyuck up to his face. playfully, donghyuck leaned forwards and licked renjun on the nose. the boy giggled, a grin spreading across his face as donghyuck continued to lick his cheeks. 

it took a while for renjun to finally part with kitten donghyuck, who surprisingly loved him just as much as, if not more than, jungwoo. mark felt satisfied. donghyuck looked so happy with his friends, and the younger’s joy was his joy. so when mark finally waved jungwoo and renjun goodbye and closed the door, he turned around to his little kitten staring up at him, a grin still bright on his face.


End file.
